Author's posts
Medical errors? Sorry, not sorry.
You know that feeling you get from an insincere apology? Your stomach flip-flops. Your heart pounds. You feel irritated, disgusted even. A vague dissonance nags at you. It’s the same disorienting feeling you get from an insult wrapped in a compli…
“We are not that great.” Gain-of-function research highlights our hubris
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has made believers out of us. The statements “I believe in science” and “follow the science” express our collective assurance that scientific innovation will continue to serve humanity and sustain us through our pandemic wearine…
Upholding the principles of informed consent in the fight against vaccine hesitancy
Experts have taken to social media to quell misinformation and address common concerns about Pfizer’s messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccine, performing an important public service in support of robust vaccine uptake. However, some scientific informatio…
The culture of silence in Canada’s medical institutions is in desperate need of reform
Canada’s health care system has been a source of national pride for as long as I can remember — a view that was shattered following my experience as a patient advocate during my late father Henry’s cancer journey. The depths of perversity were made app…
A story of treatment failure and end-of-life decisions
Part 4 of a series. By the time my father’s metastatic prostate cancer was diagnosed, he was already experiencing symptoms of poor appetite and weight loss, which grew progressively worse following his first hospital admission. As his nutritional statu…
Why did it take over a week for doctors to initiate treatment?
Part 3 of a series. Patients with advanced cancer are particularly vulnerable to infection due to a compromised immune system. Moreover, the typical symptoms of serious infection, such as fever and chills, may be absent in cancer patients. If not ident…
A story of missed opportunities and medical missteps
Part 2 of a series. My own self-appointed role as my father’s health care advocate during his prostate cancer battle was a natural consequence of my training as a medical researcher. After earning a PhD in medical science, I became the elected family h…
My family was traumatized twice by the death of my dad
Part 1 of a series. The battle I walk into my parents’ home to pick my mom up for a family gathering. And like most days over the past few weeks, palpable sorrow greets me at the door. Our old dog lies sleeping on the couch, heavy with years, she’s dif…
